The French Cemetery

After the last of four battles at the Berg Isel, a location near Innsbruck in North Tyrol, 1200 French soldiers came over the Jaufen Pass to St. Leonhard in the Passeier valley, on November 17th 1809. The inhabitants opposed them – especially in the area around the parish church heavy fighting took place lasting until November 22nd and ending in the surrender of the French troops commanded by Major Dorelli. The battle cost 22 Passirians and 230 French their lives; the Frenchmen were buried in a plot to the west of the village near the river Passer, which, by the way, gave the valley ist name.